I thought this was a joke. But no, the lead singer of a band with worldwide sales of nigh on 100 million albums presented something of a challenge to the total Mongs at Luton.

That really is depressing

Metallica singer detained at airport

LONDON, July 9 (UPI) -- , front man for heavy metal band Metallica, was detained at a British airport ahead of performing at the Live Earth concert because of his beard.
The U.S. rocker apparently was detained by security officials for what his friends said was a "Taliban-like beard," the Times of London reported Monday.

After questioning, he was released. Metallica played at Wembley Stadium in London, one of several venues around the world in Saturday's Live Earth concert to raise awareness of global warming.

During the first gulf war, while returning from a holiday, my granddads friend was briefly held at the airport in Turkey under suspicion of being Sadam Hussein. You'd have thought the fact he had his name (His own name - *Dave*, not Sadam Husseins name) tattooed across his wrist, should have been a bit of a give away.

Was speaking to the relative of a Met Police Sgt the other day who was telling me similar stories to this. One of the recent ones was a bearded chap sweating profusely looking shifty and nervous and then started shaking a bit, so everyone steared well clear of him, no one went near him and quite a few called the police or reported him....turns out he was having a heart attack!